Quotes from book
Methuselah's Children

Methuselah's Children

Methuselah's Children is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in the July, August, and September 1941 issues, it was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958.


Robert A. Heinlein photo

“Life is short, but the years are long.”

Part of the secret "call and response" codewords by which members of the long-lived Howard Families can identify others:
: Life is short.
But the years are long.
Not while the evil days come not.
Methuselah's Children (1958)

Robert A. Heinlein photo
Robert A. Heinlein photo
Robert A. Heinlein photo
Robert A. Heinlein photo
Robert A. Heinlein photo

“Yes, maybe it’s just one colossal big joke with no point to it.”

Lazarus stood up and stretched and scratched his ribs. “But I can tell you this, Andy, whatever the answers are, here’s one monkey that’s going to keep on climbing, and looking around him to see what he can see, as long as the tree holds out.”
Methuselah’s Children (p. 667; closing words)
Short fiction, The Past Through Tomorrow (1967)

Robert A. Heinlein photo

“What course of action do you favor?”

“Me? Why, none. Mary, if there is any one thing I have learned in the past couple of centuries, it’s this: These things pass. Wars and depressions and Prophets and Covenants—they pass. The trick is to stay alive through them.”
Methuselah’s Children (p. 539)
Short fiction, The Past Through Tomorrow (1967)

Similar authors

Robert A. Heinlein photo
Robert A. Heinlein 557
American science fiction author 1907–1988
Isaac Asimov photo
Isaac Asimov 303
American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston Uni…
Carl Sagan photo
Carl Sagan 365
American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author and science ed…
Arthur C. Clarke photo
Arthur C. Clarke 207
British science fiction writer, science writer, inventor, u…
Stephen King photo
Stephen King 733
American author
L. Ron Hubbard photo
L. Ron Hubbard 85
American science fiction author, philosopher, cult leader, …
Ray Bradbury photo
Ray Bradbury 401
American writer
Jack London photo
Jack London 77
American author, journalist, and social activist
Frank Herbert photo
Frank Herbert 158
American writer
H.P. Lovecraft photo
H.P. Lovecraft 203
American author